Aloha Friends, I am unsure of how long this has been happening but the gallery is not receiving any emails from the “contact” page. My web designer is working hard to repair this problem. You may email me directly at amylaurensgallery@hotmail.com or call me at 808-634-8660. Again, I am sorry if you sent an email and did not get a response.
Warmest Alohas,
Amy-Lauren Shatto
This week was an exciting week for the gallery and KOPA (Kauai Outdoor Painters Association). The week started off with a paint-out Monday at the Waimea Plantation Cottages.
Artists at Monday's Paint Out
I couldn’t resist driving out to Waimea Monday to watch everyone paint and visit with friends. I had the priviledge of watching one of Marty Wessler’s newest paintings, Waimea Plantation Cottage #77, take shape. It is amazing to me that so many of these talented plein air artists can create such beautiful paintings with so much distraction.
Marty in his signature painting hat
Several of us decided it would be a good time to go enjoy a lunch at the new “Grove Cafe and Brewery” at the cottages. The Cafe’s opening the day before had been much anticipated. The owners have done a beautiful job revitalizing the restaurant and brewery in the old plantation manager’s cottage. It was great to have a chance to sit down and talk with the KOPA artists about more paint-outs and shows sponsored by my gallery. We are planning on launching a website for KOPA with updates about paint-outs and future shows at the gallery. There will also be bios and paintings posted for KOPA members. Keep watching my news page for updates on the website.
Tuesday found the artists painting in the rain in Hanalei on the North Shore. They still managed to create some beautiful pieces. Wednesday was the final day for the paint-out and the artists met up in Poipu. The weather cooperated this time. Art started coming into the gallery Wednesday afternoon and Thursday Morning for the Juried show last Night (Friday Art Night) and Today. Gallery Artist Melinda Morey, MFA Visual Arts, was the juror for the show.
The calm before the storm...
Kauai Outdoor Painter's Show July 31-Aug 1
The show was a huge success and many beautiful paintings found new homes such as this lovely Polihale piece by Martin Wessler, which also was the People’s Choice award winner…
Polihale by Martin Wessler
Mr. & Mrs. “L” of Chino, CA were so gracious to let Marty hang on to the piece for a little while to use it as a study for a larger painting of the same scene. I will be posting that when it becomes available. Another one of Marty’s that was a Juror’s favorite and an award winner last night was Waimea Plantation Cottage #77 III. I am featuring this piece as the “Painting of the Day” (which I realize lately has been more like painting of the month!)…
Waimea Plantation Cottage #77 III
This is the painting that Marty is working on in the photo above. The piece measures 9″ x 12″ and comes framed in the beautiful black plein air frame. The price is $750-SOLD- Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. S from Arvada, CO.
PS, It was lovely to see my old friends Wayne and Cynthia last night. I always look forward to our visits.
Today’s painting is a miniature by Camile Fontaine entitled “We Drove Through Town”. In this piece the artist is showing a typical day coming back from the beach at Hanalei Bay. The painting measures 7″x 5″ and is on wood panel. It is currently listed on Ebay with a starting bid of just $80.
SOLD
Waimea Royal Poinciana
Today’s painting is a new plein air piece by Martin Wessler entitled Waimea Royal Poinciana. July has got to be one of my favorite months on Kauai because it is the only time of year that this incredible tree is in bloom. Martin painted this tree while out at Waimea Plantation Cottages, his favorite painting site. The painting measures 8″x10″ and comes framed in the black plein air frame that is shown.
SOLD
Self Portrait with Dreamscape
Uri Blayer’s Self Portrait with Dreamscape is the painting of the day for July 2. This piece was painted just after Uri’s accident earlier this year. He has since recovered as is back to painting the landscapes he is so loved for. He is still inspired to paint more of these “stillscape” paintings and I venture to say that these pieces will be just as sought after by his collectors as his landscapes.
Self Portrait with Dreamscape is an intense painting to say the least. It is not intended to be taken literally; it was painted to express his feelings at the time. He had been home from the hospital just a day when he began the piece. At first glance one may notice that the perspectives seem off. It was purposely done to give the painting a disoriented feel. Uri was personally in a great deal of pain and uncertain about his own future and the possibility of limited mobility. This is evident in the depiction of his legs which appear to be shrouded in a blanket. An element in this piece which I truly love is what he is holding on his lap. It is a small self portrait painted while he was in Israel and it is one of the few pieces he has kept for himself. It also appeared in “Stillscape with Titian’s Pieta” (painting of the day April 7) and Uri is planning on using it for more still life and stillscape paintings. I hope this bit of information always stays with the painting because one would have no way of knowing what is in his lap otherwise.
The piece is an original oil on muslin and measures 40″x 50″. The price is $12,000.
Hanalei Outriggers Study
The paintings by plein air painter Martin Wessler I am featuring today are essentially a small and large version of one another. The first piece I am listing is actually the study painted on location in Hanalei on Kauai’s North Shore during the summer when the ocean is calm enough for large boats to be in the bay. The piece entitled Hanalei Outriggers Study is an original oil and measures 12″x 18″. The price is $1550.
Hanalei Outriggers
This second piece is the larger version that was painted from the study in Martin’s studio. Because Martin is a traditional plein air painter he paints his studio works from studies painted in the field rather than from photographs. This larger original oil entitled Hanalei Outriggers measures 24″x 36″ and is available for $4200.
Hawaiian House Interior
Today’s Painting of the Day is and original acrylic by my sister Camile Fontaine. It is entitled Hawaiian House Interior. The painting is a view from a perfect little beach cottage looking out at the blue Pacific. This cottage must belong to an artist or art collector as there are paintings propped against the wall below the open windows. This piece has to be one of my favorite paintings in the entire gallery. It measures 24″x 18″.
SOLD
Local Girl in Sand
Local Girl in Sand is the final piece that I will be posting of the Edge series by Melinda Morey. It happens to be one of my favorites of the entire collection. I love the subtle colors in her suit! Local Girl in Sand measures 24″x 36″ and is an original oil and alkyd on texturized panel. The piece is priced at $4200. If anyone is interested in seeing other works from the series, I will be happy to email you additional images of what is available.
He Owns a Pit Bull
He Owns a Pit Bull is another piece from Melinda’s new Edge series. Gotta love the “Kauai Boy” tattoo. The piece is an original oil and alkyd on texturized panel and measures 36″ x 24″. The price is $3900.
Dawn Patrol
Today’s Painting of the Day is from Melinda Morey’s Edge series. In this painting a surfer is out in the morning “checking the waves”. Perhaps he is standing in awe of a massive winter swell on the north shore, or disappointed that he used yet another sick day from work and the waves are “junk”. Either way, this is a fabulous piece from Melinda’s new series.
The painting measures 40″x 30″ and is an original oil and alkyd on panel. The price is $5200.
